FIRE ON THE WAIMATE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12696, 30 December 1901, Page 6

FIRE ON THE WAIMATE.

A SEQUEL. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 28.

The steamer Waimate w.as seized here this morning, under an order from the Vice-Admiralty Court, at the instance of the owners of the steamer Ahuriri and the Napier Fire Brigade, for satisfaction of a claim of £IOOO, for services rendered on the occasion when the vessel was lately on fire in the Napier • roadstead. She was, however, soon released, on the local representatives of the New Zealand Shipping Company giving a bond for the amount, pending the hearing of the case, wbicfc will take place at Napier.

(Tie seizure of the Waimate is a purelyformal proceeding, as was the subsequent giving of the bond and release of the vessel. The owners of the Ahuriri iand the Napier Fire Brigade made their claim to the New Zealand Shipping Company, which not being accepted, the seizure and subsequentrelease of the vessel took place. The Waimate had been loading wool and tallow at Napier on Dec. 3, and had nearly completed her cargo when a fire broke out in a consignment of flax in the middle deck of No. 4 hold. Signals for assistance resulted in the s.s. Ahuriri, with the Napier Fire Brigade on board, being sent out to the burning vessel. After being nearlygot under, the fire burst out again at halfpast three o'clock on the morning of Dec. 5, but was finally extinguished on Dec. 6. The expense of extinguishing the fire was very heavy, and it was stated at the time that the Spit Fire Brigade would receive £4OO, and the owners of the Ahuriri £6OO. This represents the £IOOO claimed. The date fixed for the hearing of the case is not yet available.)